Point of interest
Colosseum
in Rome, Italy
This colossal 1st-century amphitheatre held up to 80,000 spectators and is Rome's iconic landmark – book tickets in advance.
Where it is
The Colosseum stands in the heart of ancient Rome, at the eastern end of the Roman Forum, on Piazza del Colosseo.
Address: Colosseum, 00184 Rome
What it is
Visitors walk the ancient tiers and, depending on the ticket, can see the arena floor and the underground passages (the hypogeum) where gladiators and animals waited. The standard ticket is combined with the Roman Forum and Palatine; a timed-entry reservation is mandatory and best booked well ahead.
History
Construction of the largest amphitheatre of antiquity began under Emperor Vespasian around AD 72 and it was inaugurated under Titus in AD 80. It hosted gladiatorial combats, animal hunts and public spectacles for crowds of up to roughly 50,000. One of the symbols of Rome, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.